A memorial on the edge of Vermont 105 in Enosburg marks the site of the crash that killed 17-year-old Brandon Gleason in April.

Written by

Elizabeth Murray
Free Press Staff Writer

Even with the number of vehicle-related deaths on Vermont roads down last year, the chief of the Governor's Highway Safety Program says there still are lessons drivers need to learn.

From 2012's total of 77 deaths on roadways in the state, the total dropped by about 10 percent to 69 deaths, according to statistics from the Highway Safety Program. From 2011 (with 54 deaths) to 2012, the number of fatalities increased by 45 percent.

"It's 69 tragedies, 69 families really who were affected by this," said Ted Minall, the program's director. "I think we had nine from the end of November. That's ...